60 Must-Follow Health and Fitness Twitter Accounts for 2012

60 Must-Follow Health and Fitness Twitter Accounts for 2012

When it comes to connecting with anyone — be it friends and fans, colleagues, influencers, or your celebrity crush — Twitter is often the way to go. And when it comes to health and fitness, Twitter is an information gold mine. But with countless accounts to choose from, it can be tricky to separate the awesome from the decidedly not-so-great. We sorted through the Twitterverse to bring you only the most valuable, must-follow accounts. Want valuable health and fitness advice, practical tips, breaking news, and pearls of wisdom? We've got you covered! Here are the 60 best health and fitness accounts to follow on Twitter this year:

Lifestyle

@Greatist Your trusted guide to fitness, health, & happiness (look familiar?) finds and shares the best information and inspiration on the web mixed in with just a lil' bit of fun. —DF

@dailyburn The account behind the popular fitness training site, this feed is about more than just repping the product. They share the latest from around the health and fitness space, connecting with and inspiring users everyday. —DT

@FitBottomedGirl These ladies keep it fit, healthy, and female-focused, sharing their blog's content on healthy eating, fitness news, and product reviews (mixed with tidbits of hilarious personal experiences). These girls are NEVER afraid to tell it like it is. —KM

@TFerriss The man, the legend, and a tango world record holder, Tim Ferriss tweets on body hacks, startups, and more. —DF

@bornfitness In the kingdom of the health and fitness blind, Adam Bornstein is king. Former Fitness Editor of Men's Health, now Editorial Director at Livestrong.com, Bornstein holds regular Q&A sessions, shares the best articles, and engages with seemingly everyone on the planet to help change it for the better. —DF

@ElephantJournalElephant Journal Founder Waylon Lewis tweets on living the "mindful life." Yoga, wellness, and sustainability are key topics, with an emphasis on living a good life for yourself, others, and our planet. Plus, he's handsome and hilarious! —KM

@AthleticFoodie Get the deets on healthy living from Olympic swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale and his family. He tweets tips for going gluten-free, tasty recipes, and interesting news on fitness and nutrition. Vote in one of his reader polls: Millet or quinoa? —SL

@zentofitness Need a simple guide to fitness and healthy living? Chris from Zen to Fitness is the answer, covering issues from portion control to raw food for athletes. His twitter feed constantly updates followers about new posts on the blog while sharing other thoughtful, helpful health content around the web. —LS

@RobbWolf Eating like a caveman (or just want to start)? The co-owner of NorCal Strength and Conditioning, Robb has been one of the paleo movement's biggest advocates for years, helping followers eat like our ancestors in a hectic modern world. —DT

Fitness

@trinkfitness Get on your fitness game with articles, tips, and encouragement from Dan Trink, strength coach @peaknyc, @greatist expert, & @mensfitness contributor. And yes, his heart is as big as his guns. —JS

@martinberkhan Mastermind of the popular LeanGains, Martin Berkhan has become the online voice behind intermittent fasting. He's helped thousands learn how to eat — and fast — their way to better bodies. —DT

@JasonFerruggia The leader of Renegade Fitness, Jason brings over a decade of training and coaching experience to followers, complete with snippets of wisdom concerning lifting, sports conditioning, pop culture, and everything in between. —DT

@erwan_le_corre Erwan is the founder of MovNat, a fitness regime based on using the natural environment to exercise (think carrying boulders, not dumbbells). His feed is MovNat-centric with lots inspirational quotes and a fair share of #humblebrags —ZS

@johnromaniello One of the biggest names in fitness, Roman helps people look freakin' awesome naked with a dash (or two) of humor. Followers of the Roman Empire can expect a range of training wisdom and wit — and maybe the birth of a few memes in the process. —DT

@stevekamb As the "rebel leader" of Nerd Fitness, Steve inspires people to level up their lives thanks to his contagious passion and hilarious jokes. His followers are crazy engaged — just like he is. —DF

@tomvenuto Tom Venuto is jacked. Like, hardcore jacked (see image for proof). Venuto posts tips from his blog on how to get ripped, but also how to live happier and healthier. His feed is a good mix of lifting and uplifting. —ZS

@profspiker Everyone's favorite fitness prof (or the only fitness prof?), Ted's involved in everything from Runner's World to YOU: The Owner’s Manual, which he co-wrote. Knows his stuff and loves his family. —DF

@TaraStiles Killer yoga "guide" with a killer personality. Fun, engaging, and a self-proclaimed nerd. Tweets keep followers up to date on her whereabouts and happenings with her studio (@stralayoga) and books! Plus healthy, easy, and delicious recipes daily. —KM

@lululemon Tweets the latest about apparel and must-do fitness ventures. Responding to pretty much everyone who mentions them, Lululemon cares about their customers as much, if not more, than their sexy yoga tops. —LS

@yogadork YogaDork is a fun feed delivering news, tips, and articles of interest from YogaDork.com. The site (and feed) strive to make yoga less mystifying and more fun. Also a good resource for people interested in yogi culture. —ZS

@RunKeeper Runners rejoice. This feed is chock full of training tips, articles, and updates on their popular running app. Have a question? Need a new running route? They’re on it — fast. —JS

@MeaghanBMurphy ACE certified trainer and editor at @SELFmagazine, avid runner and soccer player — and mother of two. Tweets about her killer workouts, getting fit post-baby, and the newest trends in fitness. (The clothes, too!) —KM

@Kwidrick Katy sort of does it all: She's the executive producer of @growingbolder on PBS, founder of #Fitblog, involved with other health outreach, and a triathlete in her own right. While her schedule makes anyone feel lazy, her feed is light and breezy with lots of humor, tips, and links to her various projects. —ZS

@Gunnar Sure, Gunnar Peterson has a sweet name — but he also has the experience to back it up. Peterson is well-regarded personal trainer to celebrities and athletes from the NHL, NBA, NFL and more. His feed is friendly with lots of conversations and even mini workouts to test yourself at home. —ZS

@takeachallenge Cristopher Brisley converses with fitness fanatics around the globe. Tweets about his diet and workouts, and always reminds followers to get movin' when the sun goes up. Funny, humble, extremely inspiring! —LS

@omgal Yoga and wellness-related tweets from the Omgal herself. Also follow for running, inspiration, photos, and a whole lot of smiles :-). Plus, she's a @greatist expert! —JS

@kellyolexaAs the founder of FitFluential, Kelly shares motivational tips, stories, photos (and more) that'll motivate anyone to squeeze in a sweat session. Constantly engaging with fans and followers while reminding everyone to do their plank-a-day! —LS

@Joedowdellnyc Fitness expert, celeb trainer, and owner of @peaknyc tweets all things health and fitness all the time. Bonus: Interacts like crazy with pro athletes, industry vets, and anyone who believes in putting in the work! —JS

@Sarahstanley Professional endurance athlete Sarah Stanley is obsessed with keeping others motivated, and there's no better way to catch the inspiration bug than her Twitter account. Follow for tips, thoughts, and get-off-your-butt mantras. —DT

@bobbystrom If you've admired the abs on Ryan Reynolds (now) or Britney Spears (10 years ago), you've seen Bobby's work. This pro's just getting started in the Twittersphere, but his experience, expertise, and heart are unmatched. —DF

Health

@michaelpollanMichael Pollan, author of Food Rules and In Defense of Food, breaks down the food systems going on around us — along with their impact on our health. He also encourages this easy-to-remember mantra for healthy eating: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." —KK

@Kris_CarrThis bestselling author and juicing advocate extraordinaire brings her pearls of wisdom — and a few tasty recipes — to tens of thousands of followers. —DT

@davezinczenkoThe Editor-in-Chief of both Men's and Women's Health and author of Eat This, Not That! shares tweets chock-full of relevant and actionable stats and research. —DF

@taraparkerpopeThe catchy voice behind The New York Times Well blog, Parker-Pope has also authored books on women’s health and relationships. She tweets tidbits from her articles and blog posts on everything from exercise to allergies. —SL

@HealthTapThis health Q&A website tweets the latest and coolest health news. They share lots of info about health tech, so follow them if you want to stay in the loop about robotic limbs and mind-reading technology. (We know you want to.) —SL

@DrWeilDr. Weil takes care of the alternative side of things, tweeting articles and answers to questions from "which butter is best?" to healthy recipes and inspiring quotes. —KM

@CJNutritionWhen looking for inspiration to make an awesome dinner, CJ Nutrition is always a good spot to start. These RD-approved meals are heavy on the veggies, light on guilt. —KK

@ChoosingRawNutrition and raw foods enthusiast (surprise, surprise) living and tweeting about championing a healthy and compassionate life. Great recipes (even to those who prefer their food cooked) and guides on how to go raw (pro tip: SLOWLY). —KM

@bradpilonThe author of Eat Stop Eat tweets 'round the clock about fasting, weight loss, and supplements. Have a question? Brad's on it — with plenty of personality too. —JS

@marionnestleMarion Nestle is an NYU professor, author of Food Politics, and the thought leader when it comes to the food industry and the governing bodies that regulate it. —KK

@bittmanTweets on everything food, from awesome recipes to the latest news on pink slime. His weekly link roundup is a must-read as well, compiling the best of the food web all in one spot. —KK

@Mark_Sisson The face behind Mark's Daily Apple and author of The Primal Blueprint, Mark strives to make primal living accessible in the modern world. A must-follow for all aspiring contemporary cavemen. (Loincloths optional.) —DT

@guygourmetIt ain't just for fellas. This feed offers solid tips on a variety of topics, from how to cook your mushrooms just right to what to do with those pesky leftovers, all while encouraging healthy choices along the way. —KK

@BodyOddWonder why some people hate cilantro or why you get dizzy when you stand up too quickly? BodyOdd explains the body's oddities in a smart, relatable way. —KK

@DrOzAs the host of one of the most popular daytime talk shows, Dr. Oz knows what's up in the health world. Shares great fun facts and engages his 1.7 million followers with regular questions and discussion. —KM

@DrEadesEades is one of those rare doctors who cares about social media and actually gets how it works. His feed (and blog) focus on interesting facts and studies on nutritional science. He also finds time to drop links on NBA star Kyrie Irving. A fun and informative read. —ZS

@MassiveHealthLike Greatist, Massive Health knows that health happens in between doctors visits. Their infographics are a great, data-driven approach to understanding what we can do to improve the overall health of the nation. —KK

@cynthiasassShe's a New York Times best-selling author, nutritionist for the Rangers, and still has time to spread some killer nutrition tweets. Sharing her latest health articles with #nutritionpossible, Cynthia is a one-stop shop for awesome health advice. —LS

Happiness

@DeepakChopraFor anyone who wants to know more about yoga or spiritual healing, Chopra’s your man. World-renowned author, blogger and talk show host, Chopra tweets big thoughts about everything from meditation to the meaning of life. —SL

@ZeoThe tweets from this sleep-tracking company are so not snore-worthy. Instead they share advice for getting a better night’s rest and the newest findings in sleep science, and start discussions with followers about their snooze habits. —SL

@GretchenRubinC’mon, get happy. The author of The Happiness Project blogs daily about her personal search for smiles. Her tweets are a mix of cool research in psychology and tales from her life as a regular New York City mom. —SL

@brainpickerDon’t pick your nose; pick your brain. Science journalist Maria Popova runs the BrainPickings blog, where she covers the latest research on art, culture, and psychology. Follow her on Twitter for inspirational quotations, history-nerd trivia, and links to her most recent blog posts. —SL

@zen_habits Simple, optimistic, inspiring. Leo tweets out his latest and greatest blog entries so followers can continually read advice on how to stay fit, happy, and healthy. —LS

@susancain Author of the bestseller Quiet and a self-proclaimed introvert, Cain’s definitely not shy about tweeting her insights. She uses Twitter mostly to chat about the intricacies of introversion — tweet a comment her way and she’ll likely respond! —SL